My experience with being perceived as “high-functioning” is so negative because it primarily comes from the sacrifices I make at the cost of my health in order to keep up with social expectations
I have to actively choose between taking care of myself and fulfilling responsibilities because I don’t have energy for both (I usually wouldn’t even call it a choice given that adult life especially isn’t the most forgiving)
Anybody else?
What’s even more frustrating… working constantly to hold it together, how to translate, how should I say this so they’ll understand, am I talking too much, not enough, endless hours planning, rehearsing, always questioning, constant self doubt, second guessing… you put all this work in, can hold it together enough to be employed, have housing… then a crisis happens, you show up at a social services agency asking for help…
They look at you, seeing a person holding it together, speaking coherently, in complete sentences, dressed, attention to detail… and it works against you. They actually hold your successful masking against you. Cuz clearly it can’t be that bad if I can speak coherently.